Hastings: One Condilenios stablemate tries to catch another

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Dino Condilenios has both ends covered in a $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds and up that drew eight horses and will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings.

Golden Triumph will be the one they have to catch in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, and Crew Leader looks like the one with the best chance of running down his speedy stablemate.

Crew Leader will be running in a straight claiming race for the first time. In his 23-race career, the 6-year-old Crew Leader has won six races, including a nose decision over St. Liams Halo in the 2011 S.W. Randall Plate. Crew Leader never quite lived up to the promise he showed when he finished second in the Grade 3 British Columbia Derby, but he has been productive, earning $168,150 for Swift Thoroughbreds Inc.

His best races have been going around three turns, but he can sprint and rallied to finish third in am optional $30,000 claiming race going 6 1/2 furlongs in his seasonal debut May 18. The winner, Wilo Kat, came back to finish second in both the $50,000 Sir Winston Churchill and $50,000 Lieutenant Governors’ last Monday. Crew Leader ran an even race to finish fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Churchill before showing up here.

Leading rider Aaron Gryder will be biding his time on Crew Leader, while Frank Fuentes is likely gunning Golden Triumph to the lead.

In his last start in a $25,000 claiming race June 15, Golden Triumph tried to tuck in behind horses, but was on heels entering the turn and eventually faded to last. He isn’t facing the same kind of speed here and could take them a long way if he breaks alertly from his outside post.

Bearrock N Roll feasted on the hotly contested pace in Golden Triumph’s race and paid $41.70 for his 1 1/2-length win over Ganbei, who also is entered.

Trained by Craig MacPherson, Bearrock N Roll won four races last year but all were going around three turns. Eight of his 14 wins are at 6 1/2 furlongs, so it wasn’t a fluke when he won his last race.

Stormy Canuck won a $25,000 claiming race going 6 1/2 furlongs and will appreciate the move back to a sprint after setting the pace before tiring to finish fifth going 1 1/16 miles in an allowance race June 16.

Mia’s Miracle has good tactical speed and could get first crack at Golden Triumph.